This application claims the priority of German Application No. 197 33 471.7, filed Aug. 2, 1997, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an oblong hole guide between two structural component parts.
Such an oblong hole guide is used to make possible a guided, bi-directional adjustment and/or shift between two structural component parts. In order to attain as exact a guide as possible, a relatively insignificant amount of play is built-in between the oblong hole and the guide bushing located within the hole. When, on the basis of angular or production tolerances, the external sides of the guide bushing do not run parallel to the internal sides of the oblong hole which face them, then a bending out of line can occur, resulting in the fact that the oblong hole guide makes possible only a sluggish adjustment of the structural component parts with respect to each other.
Angular deflections between the external sides of the guide bushing and the internal side of the oblong hole which face the external guide bushing sides can occur, for example, (1) when the thread bore is not formed vertically to the guided structural component part, (2) when the axial end of the guide bushing, which is supported by the guided structural component part, does not extend at a right-angle to the external side of the guide bushing or, respectively, its longitudinal axis, or (3) when the internal sides of the oblong hole do not run at right-angles to the upper or underside of the structural component part. A misalignment of the angles can also occur when the structural component parts, which are adjustable to each other via the oblong hole guide, are arranged inclined to one another.
The present invention is concerned with the problems of designing an oblong hole guide of the above-mentioned type such that it guarantees, even at greater angular tolerances among the respective elements, an easily moving adjustment between the structural component parts without bending them out of line.
The present invention solves these problems by providing an oblong hole guide between two structural component parts of which a first, guiding structural component part has an oblong hole in which a guide bushing can slide in an adjustable manner transverse to its longitudinal axis and which is fastened to a second, guided structural component part with the help of a belt that penetrates the guide bushing longitudinally. The bolt is anchored in a thread bore which is inserted into the guided structural component part. The bolt penetrates the guide bushing with radial play. The thread bore has an indentation. An axial end of the guide bushing, which is supported by the guided structural component part, is externally chamfered and penetrates the indented area of the thread bore.
The invention is based on the general concept of creating an oblong hole guide whose guide bushing can be adjusted when it is attached to the guided structural component part so that its external sides run parallel to the internal sides of the oblong hole which slide (glide) past them. In this manner, all angular deflection, which can otherwise lead to a bending out of line, can be compensated during the installation of the guide bushing so that the oblong hole guide, in accordance with the overall definition of the invention, makes it possible to achieve an easy adjustment between the structural component parts, without bending the components out of line or wedging them together.
In adjusting the longitudinal axis of the guide bushing parallel to the center longitudinal plane of the oblong hole, an incline can manifest itself between the longitudinal axis of the bolt and the longitudinal axis of the guide bushing. A guide bushing, which is designed in the usual way, whose face is supported by the guided structural component part and has a plane shape, would in this case make contact with the guided structural component part only in one place, along the circumferential edge of its face and could not be easily fastened by a bolt in this position.
In accordance with the present invention, the designed guide bushing's axial end, which faces the guided structural component part, is chamfered. During the fastening of the guide bushing, the chamfered end penetrates an indented or groove area of the thread bore of the bolt (screw, etc.). Depending on the orientation of the guide bushing, the guide bushing penetrates deeper in one area of the indentation than in the diametrically opposed one. During fastening of the bolt, the guide bushing is supported by the guided structural component part with its thread in the indentation. In this position, it can happen that the threaded end of the guide bushing becomes wedged and/or jammed between the indentation and the shaft of the bolt, which increases the setting of the guide bushing in this position.
The bolt penetrates the guide bushing with radial play so that the guide bushing can perform tipping (tilting) movements vis-a-vis the bolt shaft to adjust the guide bushing, with regard to its angle relative to the position of the internal sides of the oblong hole.
In a preferred embodiment, in particular as a result of the use of a spherically surface formed chamfer, the contact surface of the guide bushing in the chamfer is enlarged, whereby the relative position of the guide bushing is stabilized as a result of the fastening of the bolt.
A further advantageous development of the oblong hole guide prevents the guide bushing, which is attached to the guided structural component part, from moving out of the oblong hole, as the result of which the two structural component parts are attached to each other via the oblong hole guide, as defined by the invention. Additionally, in accordance with the present invention, a protruding rotary collar on the guide bushing ensures that the guiding structural component part does not come into contact with the head of the bolt, thus preventing a loosening of the bolt by means of contact with the adjacent structural component part.
Advantageously, the guide bushing is shaped such that the upper side of the collar is convex, in particular with a spherical surface form, as the result of which the application of force required for the fastening of the guide bushing can be improved.
With the help of a rectangular external cross-section of the guide bushing, a torsion of the structural component parts against each other is prevented.
In order to improve the application of force for the fastening of the guide bushing, in accordance with the present invention, the oblong hole guide has a convexly shaped underside of the bolt head, which rests on the guide bushing. In particular, a spherical surface form can be provided.
In a further development of the oblong hole guide according to the invention, the contact surface on which the guide bushing is supported by the indentation and/or by the guided structural component part is enlarged. In turn, as the result of this alignment, the position of the guide bushing, which is fastened inclined, is stabilized.
In a further advantageous development of the oblong hole guide, a torsional safety catch is provided to prevent spontaneous torsion of the bolt in the thread bore. The torsional safety catch is a ring-shaped plastic insert, which is positioned between the thread of the bolt and the thread of the thread bore when the bolt is bolted. It is thus possible to set the bolt in the guided structural component part, and simultaneously to guarantee an axial play between the guide bushing and the bolt or respectively its head. In this way, the guide bushing, which is fastened or respectively secured, remains adjustable in terms of its angle.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.